The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1887-11-03
TALMAGE'S SERMON.
An Interesting Discourse on the
Nobility of True Abnegation.
Christ's Amazing Sacrifice for the Sake
Of Fallen Humanity-The Poverty of
Earthly Riches Compared with
tho Heavenly Reward.

We know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ
that, though he was rich yet for your sakes he
became poor.-H Corinthians, viii,
DIR. Talmage said: That all the worlds
which on a cold winters night make the
heavens one great glitter are inhabitant-
less is an absurdity. Philosophers tell us
that many of these worlds are too hot or
too cold, or too rarified of atmosphere for
residence. But il not fit for human abode,
they may be fit for beings different from
and superior to ourselves. We are told
that the world of Jupiter is changing until
it is almost fit for creatures like the
human race, and that Mars would do for
the human family, with little change in
the structure of the respiratory organs.
But that there is vast world swung
somewhere, vast beyond Imagination,
and that 1t is the headquarters of the
universe, and the metropolis of immen-
sity, and has a population in numbers
vast beyond all statistics, and appoint
ments Of splendor beyond the capacity
Of canvas, or poem, or angel to describe, is
as certain as the Bible is authentic. Per-
haps some of the astronomers with their
big telescopes have already caught a
glimpse Of 1t, not knowing what it is. We
spell it with six letters, and pronounce it
Heaven.
That is where Prince Jesus lived nine
teen centuries ago. He was the Kings son,
1t was the old homestead of eternity, and
all its castles were as old as God. Not a
frost had ever chilled the air. Not tear
had ever rolled down the cheek of one Of
its inhabitants. There had never been in
1t headache, or sideache, or a heart
ache. There had never been a funeral in
the memory Of the oldest inhabitant
There had never in all the land been woven
q black vail, for there had never be any
thing to mourn over. The passage of
millions Of years had not wrinkled or
crippled or bedimmed any of its citizens.
All the people there were in a state of
eternal adolescence. What floral and
pomotic richness! Gardens of perpetual
bloom and orchards in unending fruitage.
Had some spirit from another
world entered and asked: "What is
SIM what is bereavement? what is
sorrow? what is death?" the brightest of
the intelligences would have failed to give
definition, though to study the question
there were silence in Heaven for half an
hour. The Prince of whom / spoke had
honors, emoluments, acclamations, such
rs no other prince, celestial or terrestrial,
ever enjoyed. As He passed the street,
the inhabitants took off from their brows
garlands Of white lilies and threw them in
the way. He never entered any of the
temples without all the worshipers rising
up and bowling in obedience. In all the
professions Of the high days He was the
one who evoked the loudest welcome.
Sometimes on foot, walking in loving talk
with the humblest Of the land, but at 9th
or times He took chariot, and among the
10000 that David spoke of His was the
swfftest and most flaming; or, as when
John described Him, he took white pal.
frey. with what prance of foot, and arcn
of neck, and roll of name, and CLEAN of
eye, is only dimly suggested in the
Apocalypse. He was not like 9TH
or princes, waiting for the Father
to die and then take the throne.
when, few years ago, an artist
in Germany made picture for the Royal
Gallery, representing Emperor William OF
the throne and the Crown Prince as hav-
Emperor William ordered the picture
changed and said: ''Let the Prince keep
his foot of the throne till 1 leave it,"
Already enthroned was the Heavenly
Prince side by side with the Father.
What a circle of dominion! What myr.
midons of admirers! What unen ding
round of glories! All the towers chimed
the Princes praises. OF all the in.
habitants, from the center Of the city on
over the hills and clear down to the
beach against the ocean of immensity
rolls its pillows, the Prince was the
acknowledged favorite. No wonder my
text says that
He was rich
Set all the diamonds of the earth in one
sceptre, build all the palaces Of the earth
in one alhambra, gather all the pearls of
the sea In one diadem, put all the values
OF the earth in one coin, the aggre.
gate would not express his afluence.
Yes, Paul was right. Solomon had
in gold f6SO, 0O0,0 900 and In silver fl 1929,
OOO,3T. But a greater than Solomon is
here. Not the millionaire, but the quad.
Millionaire of Heaven. To describe His
celestial surroundings the Bible uses all
colors, gathering them in rainbow over
the throne and setting them as agate in
the temple window, and hosting twelve
OF them into wall from striped jasper al
the base to transparent amethyst in the
capstOne, while between are green OF
emerald, and snow of pearl, and blue OF
sapphire, and yellow of topaz, and gray
Of chrysoprasus, and flame of jacinth. All
the loneliness of landscape in foliage, and
river, and rill, and all enchantment
aquamarine, the sea of glass mingled with
fire as the sun sinks in the Mediterranean.
All the thrill Of music, instrumental and
vocal, harps, trumpet, doxologies. There
stood the Prince, surrounded by those
who had under their wings the velocity
of millions Of miles in a second, rich in
love, rich in alteration, rich in power, rich
In worship, rich in holiness, rich as God.
But one day there was big disaster in
department of Gods universe. A race
fallenl A world in ruins Our planet the
scene Of catastrophe! A globe swinging
out into darkness, with mountains, and
seas, and islands, an awful centrifugal of
sin seeming to overpower the beautiful
centripetal of righteousness, and from it
groan reached Heaven. Such a sound
had never been heard there. Plenty of
sweet sounds, but never An outcry of dis.
tress, or an echo of agony. At that one
groan the Prince rose from all the blissful
circumstances, and started for the outer
gate, and descended into the night of this
world. Out Of what bright harbor into
what rough sea!
"Stay with US" cried angel after an gel,
and potentate after potentate.